Participants of several Texas-based recovery programs for addiction and other problems routinely work 40 or more hours per week at commercial facilities including a farm and sawmill, but receive only low-value "points" for their labor instead of lawful wages, according to a proposed collective and class action filed in federal court.
In a
complaint filed Tuesday, named plaintiff Kent Ford, a Texas resident, said he was ordered by a Harrison County court to enter the Isaiah 58 Farms recovery program as a condition of probation. While there from November 2024 to July 2025, Kent was required to perform work at a farm and sawmill for "points" worth about $1 per hour, according to the complaint.
Defendant Timothy Wiseman, also a Texas resident, owns and operates the Texas nonprofit corporation Wiseman Ministries Inc., which operates "faith-based recovery programs" under the names Isaiah 58 Farms, House of Disciples, Wiseman Life Recovery, Addicted To Hope, Poverty Solutions and Gifts of Grace Resale Store, according to the complaint.
"In reality," Ford said, the programs "supply a captive labor force to Wiseman-controlled nonprofit and for-profit enterprises."
Wiseman also owns the for-profit company Wiseman Transport LLC, which manufactures, sells and distributes products through Wiseman Ministries Inc.'s recovery programs, according to the complaint.
Ford said Wiseman controls his business' labor practices, including program participants' work assignments, the implementation of a "points payment system" and the "compelled pooling" of participants' Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits at program facilities.
At 58 Isaiah Farms, a recovery program in De Berry, Texas, that advertises itself as a blackberry farm, the defendants "require or coerce participants to surrender, pool, or otherwise relinquish their SNAP benefits for program use," according to the complaint.
Ford said that "on information and belief," participants in other Wiseman programs are assigned to staff the Gifts of Grace resale business in Longview and the Soapy King car wash in Henderson, both of which are "tied to" Wiseman. At those businesses, participants are "subjected to the same unlawful practices, including uncompensated labor and the confiscation of tips," Ford alleged.
Program participants aren't paid overtime compensation for time worked beyond 40 hours, according to the complaint.
"When participants complain, or are suspected of complaining, defendants retaliate by fabricating disciplinary reports and false accusations sent to probation officers and county pretrial caseworkers to trigger probation or bond violations and incarceration," Ford alleged.
In addition to probationers, many Isaiah 58 Farms program participants are homeless or are discharged mental health patients from Harrison County, according to the complaint.
"Defendants recruit and accept these vulnerable individuals into the program, where they are required to perform uncompensated labor under the same unlawful practices described herein," Ford said.
Members of the proposed collective and classes "number in the dozens, if not hundreds, and joinder of all members is impracticable," according to the complaint.
Ford argued that based on the defendants' actions in violation of Fair Labor Standards Act minimum wage and overtime provisions, he and the proposed collective should be entitled to three years of back pay, liquidated damages and attorney fees and costs.
In addition, Ford said, the defendants' violations of state minimum wage law are "knowing and intentional," entitling Ford and a proposed subclass to unpaid wages, costs and other relief available under Chapter 62 of Texas' labor code.
Ford seeks liquidated damages under the FLSA, statutory penalties under Texas law, treble damages under the state's Deceptive Trade Practices Act and "exemplary damages for conversion where appropriate."
Reached by phone Wednesday, Wiseman confirmed he owns and operates Wiseman Ministries Inc. and Wiseman Transport LLC but said he hasn't been served with the complaint and wasn't aware it was filed until he received Law360's request for comment.
"I'll tell you straight-up, I haven't received anything about this lawsuit," Wiseman said. "I know absolutely nothing about this case. I have not received any information," other than Law360's message.
Asked about the suit's claims, Wiseman declined to comment "until I understand what's happening with this."
Asked specifically if program participants are required to work 40 or more hours a week without lawful pay, Wiseman denied the allegation.
"No, that's not correct," he said. "I'm not going to answer any further questions."
Wiseman said that when he is served with the complaint, "I'll look at it and review it and will respond appropriately."
J.D. McMullen of The Texas Resolution PLLC, who is representing Ford and the proposed collective and class, told Law360 in an email Wednesday, "We wouldn't have filed this case if we didn't believe it had merit. Beyond that, it would be inappropriate to comment further."
Ford and the proposed collective and classes are represented by Josh B. Maness of Maness Law Firm PLLC and by J.D. McMullen of The Texas Resolution PLLC.
Counsel information for the defendants wasn't immediately available Wednesday.
The case is Kent Ford et al. v. Timothy Wiseman et al., case number
2:25-cv-00982, in the
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.
--Editing by Nick Petruncio.
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